Talking salary with potential employers

As I’ve suggested before, new graduates should be flexible about salary when first starting out. But what do you do when asked to provide your salary requirements in your cover letter, or during an interview?

In a recent interview with Laurence Shatkin, PhD, an occupational expert and author of “Your $100,000 Career Plan,” he suggested some guidelines for entry-level professionals to follow.

Cover letters: If the job posting does not mention salary requirements, by all means do not address this topic in your cover letter. If it does ask for your salary requirements, find a diplomatic way to say that this is not the right time to be discussing this matter. Here’s a possible strategy: “Although you ask for my salary requirements, I think it’s premature for me to specify a figure while we still haven’t agreed that I’m a good fit for the job. I’m confident that we’ll be able to do that in an interview, and I’ll be glad to discuss compensation at that time.” 

Or, you might try this: “I’ll be better able to discuss an appropriate salary after I learn the responsibilities of the job in greater detail and after you have a better understanding of my qualifications. Let’s meet to discuss these matters and get acquainted.”

Job applications: On the job application, it’s best to write “Negotiable.” If the employer refuses to interview you unless you indicate your salary expectations, give only a large ballpark estimate and make clear that you expect both parties will be flexible as you learn more about each other.

During an interview: When asked about your salary expectations, shift the conversation back to your qualifications. For example, you might want to respond, “I’m sure you pay your employees fairly, and I expect you to pay me a fair wage for a person with my background. So let’s discuss my background and what I can do for your business.”

Also, inquire about how much competition you’re facing. If you’re the only job candidate remaining, you’ll be able to negotiate from a stronger position.

You may get a lot of pressure to name a figure, and you should avoid sounding evasive. It helps to rehearse this dialog with a friend so you can devise wording that you feel comfortable with. It also helps greatly to prepare by doing research on the local going rate for the kind of job you’re interviewing for.

And Shatkin is absolutely right about doing your homework. I strongly recommend asking mentors in your field about the “going rate” of an individual with your particular background and experience rather than relying on sources such as Salary.com. However, if you can’t find individuals to help you pin down a reasonable salary range, an online resource you might want to try is Glassdoor.